Improvising chili

When plans go awry, itÂ’s time to talk turkey

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There’s a line from a John Lennon song that
sums up a recent attempt to fix dinner: “Life is what happens to you
while you’re busy making other plans.”The plan: turkey chili. I had envisioned a
low-maintenance evening, spending about an hour with some canned white
beans and seasoned ground turkey. Inspired by an online recipe that called
for a helping of pearl barley, I printed out my marching orders and headed
for the store. And then life happened, right in the supermarket
aisles, where conditions for making turkey chili were less than ideal.
Ingredients were missing, time was short, and the world seemed to be
conspiring against me. I allowed a moment for exasperated cursing, and then
I took a deep breath. If I could ride a bike with no hands or stand in
mountain pose with my eyes closed and still connect to the earth beneath
me, I could certainly improvise turkey chili. And so this kitchen witch flew home on her broom and
set her chili poetry into motion. Rules got broken, spices and aromatics
were added, and the original recipe was rewritten. In this frenzied world of techno wizardry and
BlackBerry living, it’s easy to forget that the recipe often is right
where it should be — within ourselves — revealing itself when
we’re busy making other plans. Culinary questions? Contact Kim O’Donnel at kim.odonnel@creativeloafing.com. Improv Turkey ChilLi 3 tablespoons vegetable oil One medium onion, finely chopped Three cloves garlic, finely chopped One fresh chile of choice, seeded, deveined, and diced
1 tablespoon cocoa powder 1 teaspoon cinnamon 4 teaspoons cumin 1/2 teaspoon chili powder 1 pound ground turkey (shredded turkey or chicken
would work here, too) 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste 6-8 ounces pearl barley Chicken stock or water, at least 3 cups Tomato purée, up to 15 ounces One chipotle chile in adobo sauce, finely chopped
(optional) One sprig fresh rosemary, needles removed from branch
and finely chopped One 15- or 16-ounce can of garbanzo beans, drained One 15- or 16-ounce can of pinto beans or cannellini
or northern beans, drained Salt to taste Shredded sharp Cheddar or Monterey Jack Chopped scallions Chopped fresh cilantro and parsley Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pot and add onion,
garlic, and chile. Cook over low-medium heat and occasionally stir, cooking
until soft. Add cocoa powder, cinnamon, cumin, and chili powder and stir as
a paste forms. Add ground turkey and cook at least five minutes, until
turkey is no longer pink. Add salt to season meat. Add enough barley and then enough liquid to just cover
everything. Bring up to a boil, then partially cover pot and allow it to
simmer until the barley is tender, about 40 minutes. Add tomato
purée as needed for liquid and extra depth of flavor. If using, add chipotle chile and rosemary; then add
beans and allow to heat at least 15 minutes until warmed through. Season
with salt to taste. Serve in bowls with shredded cheese or other garnish;
better the next day reheated. Makes at least eight servings.